A Michigan professor has been placed on leave after an expletive-filled rant on a Zoom call, which he directed at students to open the semester.
The rant was largely centered around COVID-19 protocols.
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Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said she referred a group of people who attempted to falsely certify Michigan’s 2020 Presidential electoral votes for Donald Trump to federal prosecutors.
On a Thursday’s MSNBC’s “The Rachel Maddow Show,” Nessel said she referred the case to the U.S. attorney’s office for the Western District of Michigan.
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Michigan’s 2020 Teacher of the Year openly promotes his political beliefs in his high school classroom.
Owen Bondono teaches ninth grade at Oak Park High School. He won Michigan’s Teacher of the Year in the 2020-2021 school district. He is also a TikTok personality, clocking in at over 11,000 followers.
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A report from Auditor General Doug Ringler scheduled for a Monday release is expected to show the state undercounted COVID-19 long-term care deaths.
On Wednesday, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Charlie LeDuff posted on Facebook:
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Michigan’s State Board of Education adopted a resolution supporting the recruitment and retention recommendations issued by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE).
“The state legislature has the responsibility to help rebuild the teaching profession in Michigan,” State Board of Education President Dr. Casandra Ulbrich said in a statement. “They have an opportunity to make a real difference for current and future educators.”
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Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer will deliver the annual State of the State address remotely, according to a release from her office.
The top executive detailed the event, scheduled for January 26, will be held virtually “to ensure everyone can safely partake” during the coronavirus pandemic.
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A Genesee County judge denied Attorney General Dana Nessel’s request to overturn a Nov. 19 order that Michigan stop using documents that might violate attorney-client privilege until reviewed by independent investigators.
The Associated Press first reported the story.
Emails obtained by the conservative Michigan Rising Action show Nessel’s prosecutors were warned they acquired records protected by attorney-client privilege when they gained access to as many as 20 million documents related to the Flint Water Crisis.
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Michigan has collected about $271 million in legal, adult-use marijuana tax revenue since 2019, according to a new report from the Marijuana Policy Project that analyzed tax revenue in states with adult-use cannabis since 2014.
In March 2021, the Michigan Treasury described what adult-use cannabis taxes collected in fiscal year 2020 will fund:
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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced the first-of-its-kind drone technology study in three proposed areas between Michigan and Ontario, southeast Michigan, and any other suitable location.
Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), the Michigan Aeronautics Commission, the state and Ontario will explore whether small drones can be flown beyond a pilot’s line of sight and harnessed for just-in-time delivery like medical transport. The study will further decision-making for the future of advanced air mobility in North America.
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Michigan estimates losing $8.5 billion to unemployment fraud since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the CEO of a fraud prevention company says that number is closer to $11 billion.
Haywood Talcove, the CEO of LexisNexis Risk Solutions’ Government Group, which provides fraud prevention tools to 26 state unemployment programs and the 50 top US banks, told The Center Square in a Zoom interview that profiles on the encrypted messaging app Telegram are fraudulently selling Michigan unemployment benefits.
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According to documents filed by the government prosecutors in response to a motion by the defendants in the alleged kidnapping plot against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D), of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) informants turned rogue during the plot.
The controversy stems from Steve Robeson, a Confidential Human Source (CHS) in the case.
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Numerous Michigan lawmakers voiced their support for in-person learning, following school districts across the state moving to virtual learning.
The Republican legislators pointed to the harmful social impacts and decreased academic scores for children in the state.
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A mother who has struggled for two years to obtain face mask accommodations for her special needs daughter at the Riverview Community School District, has collected photos of teachers, students and even the superintendent not wearing a face mask while on school property.
Lisa Aponoves collected the photos from various media sites after questioning the district’s approach to her 10th grade daughter. She has provided the district with communications from several physicians who explain why the student can’t tolerate wearing a face mask.
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When law enforcement touted foiling a months-long kidnapping plot of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in October 2020 that spanned several states and included encrypted chats and explosives, many believed it was an open-and-shut case.
But more than a year later, critics say the arrest and convictions of the lead FBI agent and an FBI confidential informant blurred the line between extremist and confidential informant. Moreso, three planned witnesses have been accused of crimes and won’t be testifying in the March 8 trial in Grand Rapids as defense attorneys question the FBI’s credibility.
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Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has remained silent as school districts in her state have opted to return to virtual learning for students.
Approximately nine different school systems in Michigan have moved educational instruction to computer screens, affecting roughly 100,000 students thus far.
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The mother of a 10th grade student says the superintendent of Riverview Community Schools has violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by refusing to exempt her special needs daughter from a face mask mandate.
She says the superintendent refused a request for an exemption from the requirement, even though he received a doctor’s note stating her child is unable to wear a mask. She says the superintendent is further violating the ADA by not offering acceptable solutions and allowing her daughter to return for the current school year.
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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed an executive directive establishing the Michigan Office of Rural Development within the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD).
The Office of Rural Development will focus on all rural matters.
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As Americans near their third year of COVID-19, Michigan ranked sixth nationwide for people leaving the state, according to United Van Lines 45th Annual National Movers Study.
The study derived by tracking customer migration patterns throughout the past year indicates Americans moved to lower-density areas and to be closer to their families.
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The superintendent of Oxford Community Schools in Michigan says all middle- and high-school students will “for the time being” be required to use clear backpacks upon their return to the classroom, following a recent, fatal school shooting.
The announcement came last week, just about one month after 15-year-old gunman Ethan Crumbley opened fire on his classmates, killing four students and injuring seven others.
Crumbley faces 24 charges including first-degree murder and terrorism resulting in death, he was charged as an adult. Crumbley’s parents, James and Jennifer, were also charged in connection to the shooting.
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Twenty-two months into the COVID-19 pandemic, some schools and colleges say they will shift to virtual learning amid an increase in COVID-19 cases, which will affect more than 100,000 students.
Detroit Free Press reporter Sally Tato tweeted a list of schools with delayed schedules or shifting to virtual learning briefly (estimated student population added):
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The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Committee late Tuesday approved new congressional and legislative maps the state will follow for the next 10 years.
The 13-member panel, established by state voters, was formed to curtail gerrymandered districts in the state. The MICRC is made-up of four Republicans, four Democrats and five independents. The committee voted to approve what’s been dubbed the “Chestnut Congressional” map, the “Hickory House” map, and the “Linden Senate” map.”
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Michigan State University (MSU) will begin the semester with remote learning for the first three weeks, according to a press release issued by the university on Friday.
Citing the rise in coronavirus cases throughout the state, MSU officials elected to delay the return to campus for most students, which was originally scheduled for January 10.
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Often at the center of controversy, Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is facing transparency questions, along with leading state Republican lawmakers, after they signed nondisclosure agreements preventing them from informing taxpayers about a pricey new economic development initiative.
Whitmer, Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, and House Speaker Jason Wentworth all signed the NDA with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation regarding a $1 billion business incentive program that became law last week, The Detroit News reported.
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Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance agency paid out more than $8 billion in fraudulent claims from March 2020 to September 2021, according to a new report from Deloitte.
According to the consulting agency, an estimated 10.16 percent of the funds were paid out to individuals “involving likely imposter fraud.” Furthermore, an additional 20.21 percent to people “involving likely intentional misrepresentation fraud.”
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Michigan’s independent redistricting commission voted to adopt the state’s new congressional map Tuesday afternoon, with five of the 13 new districts being potentially competitive as both parties fight for control of the House.
The new map creates competitive seats along Lake Michigan, around the state capital and in metro Detroit. President Joe Biden would have won seven of the districts in 2020, while former President Donald Trump would have won six, according to David Wasserman, a senior editor at the Cook Political Report.
Despite Biden’s narrow edge on the new map, incumbent Democratic Reps. Elissa Slotkin, Dan Kildee and Andy Levin could be forced to run in very competitive seats as their party faces political headwinds ahead of the 2022 midterms. Republican Rep. Peter Meijer may also face a contentious race in 2022, as his current Grand Rapids-based 3rd district was put into a new district that Biden would have won by nine points in 2020, Wasserman said.
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Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Monday signed legislation that aims to limit the state’s substitute teacher shortage.
House Bill 4294, sponsored by State Representative Brad Paquette (R-Niles), will allow certain school staff members, like secretaries, to fill open substitute teacher positions through the end of the current school year.
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Defense attorneys for five men accused of plotting to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.) are seeking a dismissal of the indictment, citing “egregious overreaching” by federal officials, who they say invented a conspiracy and entrapped the men.
If convicted in the alleged extremist kidnapping conspiracy, the five men – Adam Fox, 38, Barry Croft, 46, Kaleb Franks, 27, Daniel Harris, 24, and Brandon Caserta, 33 – face up to life in prison.
“When the government was faced with evidence showing that the defendants had no interest in a kidnapping plot, it refused to accept failure and continued to push its plan,” the mens’ attorneys wrote.
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After calling state vaccine mandates a “problem” on Dec. 7, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has apparently changed her mind and now supports them.
“I know if that mandate happens, we’re going to lose state employees,” Whitmer said on Dec. 7, the Greenville Daily News reported. “That’s why I haven’t proposed a mandate at the state level. Some states have. We have not, we’re waiting to see what happens in court.”
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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has signed into law a $1 billion bipartisan economic development package.
The Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve (SOAR) package aims to support small businesses and attract businesses to the state, and includes:
Establishment of an economic development fund.
Funding programs “to make our economy more adaptable to the rapid pace of technological change, supporting small businesses, and creating or retaining good-paying jobs.
Creation of a financing mechanism for both programs.
Appropriates $407 million to fund small businesses affected by COVID-19.
A Michigan public school district held a “21 Day Equity Challenge” that encouraged student activism, along with a list of microaggressions and a privilege checklist, according to a report from the Young America’s Foundation (YAF).
Farmington Public Schools told students and their families to come up with a “personal action plan” on the 21st day of the challenge, according to the YAF report. Some suggestions including joining “a Black Lives Matter or an affiliated protest” and or donating to “bail efforts supporting people arrested for protesting against injustice.”
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If there was any message that came out of the November 2021 elections that was loud and clear for everyone to hear, it was this one: school districts should stop indoctrinating children on their race politics. Well, evidently not everyone got that message yet.
Case in point: Farmington School District in Southeast Michigan, which recently sponsored a “21 Day Equity Challenge” targeting “adults in the Farmington/Farmington Hills community” — presumably, this primarily means teachers and administrators. While the program is ostensibly intended to facilitate a better understanding and appreciation of “the very diverse population within our own community,” the content is loaded with political messaging.
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Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson on Tuesday resolved a campaign finance complaint against Governor Gretchen Whitmer, ruling the governor did not violate campaign finance laws.
The original complaint, filed by the Michigan Freedom Fund, alleged that Whitmer used threat of a recall to collect campaign donations beyond the established individual limits. However, no recall attempt materialized into a credible challenge, making the donations illegal.
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The third time was a charm for a small-business relief provision of Senate Bill 85, which was signed Monday by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
A House version of the bill, House Bill 4047, was proposed by Rep. Timothy Beson, R-Bangor Twp., last March, and signed by the governor. However, Whitmer exercised a line-item veto of the afflicted business relief. Another version of a small-business relief subsequently was passed by the legislature with bipartisan support. Whitmer again exercised her veto authority to squelch it.
SB 85 was introduced by Sen. Ken Horn, R-Frankenmuth.
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The Michigan Supreme Court on Monday ruled that the state’s Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission must release documents and recordings related to a closed-door meeting the group conducted earlier this year.
According to the 4-3 ruling written by Justice David Viviano, the commission’s decision to hold a secret meeting violated the state Constitution. The Michigan Constitution states the “commission shall conduct all of its business at open meetings.”
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Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a bill to enact a bipartisan measure to fund the state’s emergency response system until December 2027.
House Bill 5026, sponsored by state Rep. Julie Calley (R-Portland), will allow the state to modernize its system to better its GPS location service to pinpoint the location of calls made from mobile phones.
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A $40 million project is estimated to help 30,000 workers statewide secure employment through the state’s Going PRO Talent Fund.
The program aims to lure back Michigan’s workforce lost during COVID-19, encourage specialization, and help businesses fill jobs in a tight labor market. Between Feb. 2020 and April 2020, Michigan’s labor force plunged by 341,500 or 6.9%. Labor force levels in Michigan have rebounded modestly, increasing by 139,400 or 3% percent from April 2020 to August 2021.
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Not a cent from a $25 million relief fund created four months ago has been spent on medical providers to stabilize a July 45% fee cut for Michigan’s auto accident insurance providers.
DIFS spokeswoman Laura Hall told The Center Square in an email that the agency hasn’t received any complete applications for the Provider Fund as of Dec. 13, noting only one company submitted an incomplete application.
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In a marathon overnight session this week, the Michigan House voted 100-2 on a bill aiming to ban the Independent Citizen’s Redistricting Committee (MICRC) from meeting in a closed session for any purpose.
On Dec. 2, the Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 728. The bill moves to Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s desk, whose office hasn’t responded to a request for comment about the legislation.
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Michigan State University (MSU) announced on Friday that all students and faculty will be required to receive the coronavirus vaccine booster shot.
Beginning in the upcoming spring semester, all individuals must have the additional shot to remain in compliance with the university’s policies, according to an email from MSU President Samuel L. Stanley.
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As many predicted, pipeline company Enbridge filed to remove a lawsuit to shut down Line 5 from state court to keep it in front of a federal judge.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer have been attempting to revoke the easement that allows Line 5 to transport approximately 540,000 gallons of hydrocarbons across a five-mile stretch of the Straits of Mackinac. The easement has been honored since 1953.
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Michigan lawmakers in both the House and the Senate overwhelmingly approved a measure that aims to ease the tax burden on small businesses in the state.
When filing federal taxes, large corporations are allowed unlimited state and local tax (SALT) deductions. However, small business, considered flow-through entities, deductions are capped at $10,000.
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In a Tuesday late-night session, The Michigan House approved a $1.5 billion spending plan to fight COVID-19.
The House passed House Bill (HB) 5523 on a vote of 98-4. The bill aims to spend $1 billion for COVID-19 treatment, testing, and workforce stabilizations. That includes:
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A new poll released on Wednesday shows that a majority of Michigan voters believe that the state is on the wrong track, an increase from September.
The survey initiated by the Detroit Regional Chamber demonstrated that 52.8 percent of voters do not support the direction of the state, compared to 31.7 percent who believe it is on the right track.
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Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday sent a letter to Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, requesting special elections to fill multiple legislative vacancies.
According to Whitmer, the elections are needed to ensure that all residents of the states are equally represented in government.
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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the bipartisan Council of Great Lakes Governors asked federal leaders to fund the Brandon Road Lock and Dam in the 2022 Water Resources Reform and Development Act to prevent invasive Asian carp from entering Michigan’s water.
“The Great Lakes are the beating heart of Michigan’s economy, and we are taking action to put Michigan first and protect the Great Lakes,” Whitmer said in a statement. “By funding the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, we can protect local economies and key, multi-billion-dollar industries that support tens of thousands of jobs including fishing and boating. I am proud that my fellow Great Lakes governors from both parties and I are coming together to continue uplifting our economies, build the Brandon Road Lock and Dam, and keep invasive carp out.”
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The Michigan Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments in a lawsuit between three news agencies and the Michigan Independent Citizen’s Redistricting Commission (MICRC). Arguments will be held Dec. 15 at 9:30 a.m.
The lawsuit follows an Oct. 27 MICRC closed-door meeting to discuss two legal memos despite a Constitutional mandate the committee “shall conduct all of its business at open meetings.”
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Health care leaders and doctors say hospitals are “just keeping our heads above water” as 21.5% of inpatient beds are COVID-19 patients – an all-time high since the beginning of the pandemic.
In a virtual press conference Friday, State Health Director Elizabeth Hertel and Chief Medical Executive Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian urged residents to get vaccinated, including booster shots, and wear masks.
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Michigan State Senator Jim Runestad (R-White Lake) on Thursday introduced a bill to close a campaign finance loophole that has allowed Governor Gretchen Whitmer to rake in millions of dollars through questionable donations.
Whitmer, pointing to a ruling from 1983, claims she had the right to haul in donations over the $7,150 individual limit due to a threat of a recall campaign.
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Across the country, elected leaders are suing to prevent President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandates. However, Michigan’s Attorney General Dana Nessel refuses to weigh in on the constitutional matter.
Most recently, a ruling from U.S. District Judge Stan Baker halted a provision that required contractors working with the federal government to receive the coronavirus vaccine, one of the last remaining national vaccine mandates.
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After Michigan lost out on an $11.4 billion electric vehicle factory estimated to create 11,000 jobs, the GOP-led House passed a trio of economic development bills on a 83-21 vote.
But 16 Republicans and five Democrats voted against the package, saying it amounts to a government entity picking winners and losers, redistributing wealth, and inviting collusion between lawmakers and companies while spending taxpayer dollars on large private companies that could be spent helping all Michiganders.
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